Senior Director Foundation Development

Who we want:

Senior Director, Foundation Development 

The ASU Foundation has retained Lindauer, an executive search firm, to assist in this search. Consideration of candidates will continue until the position is filled.

Candidates should submit, in confidence, a resume and cover letter. Communications, nominations, applications, and inquiries concerning this search should be directed to Maureen Huminik, Vice President, mhuminik@LindauerGlobal.com and Raegan Harvey, Consultant, rharvey@LindauerGlobal.com.

The ASU Foundation, one of five nonprofit entities that make up ASU Enterprise Partners, is seeking a Senior Director Foundation Development.

The Senior Director will help to plan, organize and implement strategies to maximize philanthropic investments from local, regional and national foundations and philanthropic LLCs. The Senior Director will work with faculty and development colleagues from a broad range of academic disciplines to increase foundation and philanthropic LLC support for ASU funding priorities. The Senior Director will manage a portfolio of major foundation and philanthropic LLC prospects. This position will report to the VP for Presidential Advancement.

What you’ll do:

• Provide strategic leadership with the academic leaders, fundraising colleagues and faculty throughout the university to advance relationships and investment opportunities with foundation and philanthropic LLC leaders and program officers
• Identify and create strategic investment opportunities at the highest levels that reflect the unique and significant opportunities of a New American University that are pan-university in nature
• Work closely with ASUF unit leadership for major foundation and philanthropic LLC approaches to position ASU strategically at the highest levels with leading foundation investors
• Collaborate with the ASUF Director of the Moonshot Accelerator to create mega-proposals that are multi-tiered and plan the most effective solicitation strategies that engage internal and external stakeholders
• Plan and represent ASU/ASUF in foundation site visits at ASU and act as the point person for ASU/ASUF leaders during foundation visits
• Attend conferences and visit with foundation leaders at their headquarters and by Zoom and phone - visits outside of ASU may be conducted individually or with members of leadership from ASU and/or ASUF
• Work with colleagues to refine and implement goals and objectives designed to optimize foundation awards
• Create and advance all aspects of fundraising including identification, research, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of foundation investors
• Craft concept summaries for investment opportunities
• Create letters of intent and proposals from concept to final document
• Maintain tracking system for prospect clearance, proposal strategies and project monitoring using the ASUF shared database, Salesforce
• Monitor trends in family philanthropy and develop strategies for family foundations
• Regularly report and document activities and results against targets to achieve/exceed performance metrics
• Complete other duties as assigned     

What you’ll need:

• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to make connections between ideas, organizations and people
• Skilled in outlining and implementing research assignments regarding the priorities, personnel, and processes of foundations
• Strong desire to learn more about funders to best connect them with opportunities for impact at ASU
• Lifelong learner who enjoys acquiring new skills, learning about new concepts, and staying updated on trends in philanthropy
• Ability to quickly gain an understanding of ideas to support their competitive positioning for philanthropic partnership
• Strong ability to communicate effectively in person, writing and by phone
• Problem solver who can take initiative and set priorities while being flexible
• Ability to work independently and part of a team
• Collaborative style, combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to foundation and university business and confidential prospect information
• Knowledge of higher education innovation trends and practices

Relevant qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree: masters preferred and a minimum of five to seven years of experience preferably in higher education, with progressively greater administrative responsibilities

Mental demands:

Clarity of focus while juggling complex projects or deadlines.

Working conditions:

Activities are performed in an environmentally controlled office setting subject to extended periods of sitting, keyboarding and manipulating a computer mouse; required to stand for varying lengths of time and walk moderate distances to perform work. Frequent bending, reaching, lifting, pushing and pulling up to 25 pounds. Regular activities require ability to quickly change priorities, which may include and/or are subject to resolution of conflicts. May be required to perform tasks in the field within and/or across University campuses. Ability to clearly communicate verbally, read, write, see and hear to perform essential functions. This position may require some early mornings and evenings to accommodate meetings and events. This position currently requires you to work from the office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with Monday and Friday optional remote days.

ASUEP follows federal guidance which requires employees of federal contractors to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, except in limited circumstances in which an employee is legally entitled to an accommodation for medical or religious reasons.

Working equipment:

This position will require a Surface/laptop computer, desk telephone, a mobile communication device ($30 bi-weekly payroll reimbursement), corporate credit card and business cards.

Contact us today.

For more information on the ASU Foundation, ASU Enterprise Partners or to apply for this position, visit our web site at https://www.asuenterprisepartners.org/careers/

ASU Enterprise Partners and its subsidiaries is an equal opportunity employer that is firmly committed to promoting justice, equity, diversity and inclusion within our organization and throughout our sphere of influence. Because we embrace a spirit of innovation and achievement, we will endeavor to maximize the talent and potential of all employees, directors, and volunteers through bold and strategic action aimed at building success and a sense of belonging. All employees are expected to act in good faith to support these actions and to not impede the efforts of others to build a just, equitable, diverse and inclusive organization.

ASU Enterprise Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer